Picking the right boy dog names

Boy dog names can be macho, literary or cute, but the right name matters

It's a boy! Well, a boy dog. And now you need to name him.

Sure you could just head to the name lists for babies and try and find something. And there are a lot of those. But wouldn't it be better to start with some idea of what kind of name you're looking for?

Here are some tips for finding boy dog names that work just right for your new companion.

The man's man dog names

If you're a major sports fan, or just can't wait to see the latest action-adventure shoot-em-up film, a macho dog name might be just right for your new boy dog.

I'm thinking names like Stark, Aikman, Payton, or Wolverine. Of course, if your dog is a tiny breed, people might look twice when they hear you call him. But there is something sweet about irony, too.

If you're stuck for a dog name in this category, try the random Superhero name generator at the Seventh Sanctum website. I got Masteria when I tried it. It could work!

Sometimes it's just fun to pick a silly name for your dog. I recently heard about a guy who named his dog Pavlov (and his cat, incidentally, was named Schrodinger). Yeah, i wish I'd thought of it first.

But there are lots of other funny dog names choices, too. I found a great list of choices I had never, ever considered like Dumpster, Quagmire and Calamity (there HAS to be a story with that last name!) Forget the common and ordinary...if you want a dog name that will have people stopping to ask you "Why?". this is your category!

Literary or fictional character names

Books, especially the classics, are a great place to find a name for your new male dog. Consider the famous Agatha Christie sleuth Poirot for a scent hound. Or how about Wonka for a chocolate lab? With names like Pickwick and Fink-Nottle up for grabs, you can surely find a great dog name amid the pages of the classics!

Here's an idea...how about an idea name? Who says your dog has to have a name that's, well, a name. Why not name your dog for your favorite ideas? Peace, Serenity, Success and Inspire all work for boy dogs and puppies. Name your idea, then head to the thesaurus to find the perfect word for it.

The place where you are...or want to be

You can also name your puppy for the city, town, country or neighborhood where he was born Or where you live or used to live, or want to live sometime in the future. A dog named Seattle or Baltimore would certainly be one-of-a-kind at the dog park, and you would have a wonderful reminder of a place you love.

What NOT to name your dog

This first part is for you girls. Do not name your dog after your ex-boyfriend. Trust me on this. Your next boyfriend will not like it at all, and might well end up hating the dog because of it.

And you guys reading this....no body part names that couldn't be said in a kindergarten classroom. It might sound great now, but when your grandmom comes to visit and you have to call the dog in from the yard...you get the idea!

No matter what name you choose...

Make sure you get your new dog a tag with his name and your contact information on it. And take care of the microchipping, too. That's your dog's ticket home, and no matter how clever his name might be, no one will know it without both of those if he's lost.